Vignettes for 30 Kisses: Fruits Basket:HatoriTohru
by Vix of TARDIS
Summary: Vignettes inspired by the 30 Kisses community at Live Journal. The pairing is HatoriTohru.
1. If Only

Hatori and Tohru meet quietly on the sidewalk. Without a word, he takes her hand and kisses it gently. Tohru blushes, but maintains her composure. It's not the first time, but the slight risk of being seen together this way is enough to quicken both their pulses. They walk together, simply enjoying each other's company...

_Somehow, I'm not sure...how could this be right?...yet when I'm with him, I feel so warm. He's not as cold as he thinks he is, in spite of what he's been through. I don't think I'll ever truly understand the pain and suffering he's had to endure because of the curse. Even if I've been through some pain too, it just doesn't compare -- Still, I want Hatori-san to be happy. If I can do anything to take away his pain...even forget him... No. I don't want to go that far. I want to keep my memories, even the bad ones, but if he must take them away, then I forgive him. I want to love you, Sohma Hatori...if only I could make you mine..._

They find a quiet spot in a local park. Tohru spreads out a blanket for them to sit on while they share the lunch that she so thoughtfully prepared. No words are necessary -- for now, togetherness is enough.

_Somehow, I'm not sure...how could this be right?...yet when I'm with her, it's as if the snow was melted -- an eternal spring. I don't deserve this feeling...it was only like this once before...with Kana. All I did was hurt her -- I deserve her forgetting me...even if I was the one who caused her to forget. I cannot -- will not, hurt anyone again, even if it means I can never love again. That's what I've always told myself. Yet, Tohru still invites me in. Still wants me near her, even knowing. How can I bring myself to take her memories away, should Akito order it? No...I can't let that happen. But...how long must I deny myself? I don't want to be lonely forever, Honda Tohru...if only I could make you mine..._

After lunch, Hatori walks Tohru back to the spot where they met earlier. "Same time next week?" he whispers. "I'll be here." she replies just as softly, and they walk unobserved in opposite directions, to return before they're missed.


	2. Dreams

"It's your fault! It's all your fault!"

It wasn't often that these words invaded Hatori's dreams, but when they did, they would always recur for several nights -- Hatori was often called upon to work beyond his usual waking hours, so it was simple for him to rationalize not sleeping at all, thus putting off the inevitable for a few more hours...but eventually, he would have to sleep. And then, like it or not, he would dream.

Akito screeched the words again, loud enough to shatter Hatori's very existence. All Hatori could see was blood -- a deep, thick, red curtain that obscured his view...strangely, in dreams, the physical pain Akito had inflicted did not exist, leaving instead a strange, dimly lit emptiness. Kana's ghostly white face was eerily bright against the blurred red and black of Hatori's vision. "...all your fault!" The words continued to clash with the silence of the night. Hatori knew intellectually that Akito's words were directed at Kana, but he could do nothing but place the blame fully on himself. Hatori felt the cold touch of Akito's hand and shuddered. Akito pulled him closer. "You know what you must do, now...don't you?" Akito lightly brushed Hatori's lips with hers. It was a fatal kiss that chilled Hatori's blood.

Each time Hatori dreamed like this, he could not awake until Kana's memories were gone. Each time, after reliving Kana's last loving kiss yet again before he took her memories and set her free, Hatori found himself painfully alone. Each time, before coming fully awake, Hatori would find himself crying bitterly. And each time, the only way he was able to calm down, was to step outside with a pack of cigarettes, and smoke until they were gone. Sometimes he'd sleep afterwards, but more often than not, the night was already over. Hatori never knew whether or not the dream would return next time he slept, or for how long he would be able to sleep peacefully until the next time.

This time, however, would be different. As Hatori cried, still in his sleep, he could almost consciously feel a soothing touch. This touch was nothing like the cold and controlling hold Akito exerted on him, as she did to all of the juunishi. This was a soft, loving and caring touch. This gentle touch bore so much warmth, it could surely thaw the deepest winter storm. As he awoke, Hatori could hear a soft, tearful murmur. "Shh...everything will be all right, Hatori-san. Please...stop crying I -- I don't know what else to do...but I'll stay right here if you need me..." Hatori felt a gentle kiss on his forehead. He opened his eyes. "Tohru?"

"Ah! Hatori-san!" Tohru blushed. "I heard you...crying. I was so worried, I..."

"Shh..." Hatori managed a smile. "It was only a dream. I'll be fine." Hatori wanted to reassure Tohru, but the truth was, he had been comforted. It was a wonderful feeling, and Hatori wanted it to last as long as possible. Taking care not to fully embrace, Hatori drew Tohru in for a sweet and tender kiss -- a promise of things to come. "Thank you." Hatori whispered. "Good night, Hatori-san." Tohru spoke, as she left the room. Hatori went back to sleep. The nightmare did not return.


	3. Secrets

"I know a secret! I know a secret!" Shigure chanted in an annoying sing-song tone as he puttered about the house. Tohru was visiting Hatori again -- not that Kyo and Yuki knew where she'd gone, only that they'd have to wait or order out if they wanted a decent lunch today.

"One more time, and I'm kicking his ass!" Kyo muttered under his breath. "Not until I kick yours first!" Yuki interrupted. "Your whining is even more annoying than Shigure is, and that's saying something!"

"Now, now, boys!" Shigure smirked. "Just because I know something you don't is no reason to --" "SHUT THE HELL UP!" Yuki and Kyo hollered in unison. Shigure laughed. "I know something you don't, and I'm not telling!"

Sometimes Shigure could be such a brat.

"Like I care what the hell you know -- just SHUT UP!" Kyo hissed. "For once, I agree with that stupid cat!" Yuki added. "STOP CALLING ME STUPID, YOU DAMN RAT!" And as always, the fighting began. "It's about Tohru-kun." Shigure stage whispered. That did it -- Almost immediately, the cat and the mouse had the dog on the floor.

"What! What's going on!" Tohru panicked from the doorway. The three froze and looked up. Shigure straightened up, brushing himself off. "Ah! Tohru-kun! You're back!" Yuki and Kyo also rose, still glaring at each other. "See!" Shigure continued. "I told you I knew something you didn't! I knew that Tohru-kun was visiting Haa-san -- and look, she brought him home with her, isn't that great! And Haa-san is in a very good mood, I can tell!" Shigure leered, causing Tohru to blush.

"THAT WAS IT!" The cat and mouse spoke in incredulous unison. "DAMMIT!" Kyo yelled. "What the hell is Hatori doing here anyway?"

"Maybe I shouldn't have come." Hatori said, turning as if to leave.

"Oh, no! Hatori-san!" Tohru was still blushing and panicking again. "Please stay! I'll get lunch started right now!"

"I'll help, if you don't mind. Shigure can pick up this mess in the meantime." Hatori responded, glaring at Shigure for a second before turning his attention back to Tohru. Instead of politely refusing help, as usual, Tohru simply nodded, and the two left for the kitchen.

"Ah...yes! Isn't it wonderful, Hatori and Tohru are all lovey-dovey now!" Shigure sighed sappily, "Just like that scene from 'Summer Colored Sigh Part Two'...that I haven't written yet..."

"I can hear you Shigure." Hatori called. "Stop being so stupid."

"Hey, Yuki-kun, Kyo-kun! Where are you going?" Shigure sounded like a kindergarten teacher trying to get his class's attention. "Aren't you gonna clean up this mess you made?"

"It was your fault in the first place, baka!" Kyo replied and stomped off to his room.

"You're on your own, Shigure." Yuki also left the scene, leaving Shigure all alone.

"Why is everyone so mean to me?" Shigure muttered as he started moving things around, without actually cleaning up anything. Tohru would do it later anyway, he reasoned, and went back to his puttering.

After things quieted down outside of the kitchen, Tohru bowed her head so she couldn't see Hatori's face. "Um...Hatori-san?" She managed to say, quite softly so that nobody but Hatori would hear. "What is it, Tohru?" Hatori answered, putting down the knife he was using to chop the vegetables.

"Do you really think Shigure-san is stupid? For saying what he said?" Tohru finally looked up. There were tears in her eyes. "Do you think we...do you think, I'm being stupid...for loving you?"

Hatori cupped Tohru's face in his hands. If things were different, he might have hugged her reassuringly, but as it was...

"Tohru. I would never think that of you. And to tell you the truth, Shigure's stupidity is only in his timing. I guess I'm the one who's really stupid. I was hoping I could have you to myself a little longer before anyone else had to know. I'm sorry if you thought I was calling you stupid. Nothing could be further from the truth. I don't know what's going to happen in the future. It may be that times like this is all we will ever have..."

"Even so..." Tohru spoke. "I'm glad I got to spend them with you. Nobody needs to know about us. Not until you're ready. I think I understand now."

"Thank you, Tohru." Hatori whispered, kissing her gently on the cheek. Tohru smiled, and they continued preparing a fantastic meal for the hungry hordes.

"It's awfully quiet in there!" Shigure called. "Maybe they've gone off and eloped!"

There was a crash in the living room, followed by a lot of yelling. Hatori and Tohru smiled knowingly at each other. "We'll just let Shigure stay stupid awhile longer!" Hatori smiled. Tohru smiled back. "Lunch is ready!" She called happily. Everything was normal. Nobody knew any different.


End file.
